The Turn-around, A Labyrinth one-shot
by InariKiri
Summary: A one-shot where I let my imagination wonder on Sarah's life many years after her adventure in the Labyrinth. I always felt slightly dissatisfied with the way she parted from Jareth and thought they should have another chance to be together now that Sarah is older and wiser. Will she take the chance though? Read and find out.
"Well, I'll let you have a moment to yourself then." Karen says as she smiles widely, draping my wavy hair over my shoulders delicately. "This is so exciting!" she just about squeals as she hurries out of the room, closing the door behind her. I hear her heals clicking loudly on the tiles in the hallway until the noise fades away in the distance.

As soon as she's gone, I heave a deep breath. "Exciting…" I breathe out to myself as I cast my eyes on myself in the tall mirror. I don't think I've ever looked as beautiful as today, if I do say so myself. But that's the whole purpose of a day as today, isn't it? To feel beautiful. I look like a faery princess, even more so than in that crazy dream world Jareth tricked me into years ago. I must admit, it was difficult to reach a certain standard when he set the bar so high. It was hell to find the right dress, but I was determined to do better than him.

I rake my eyes over the long flowing wedding gown. The fabric is not heavy despite the many layers. Always the rebel, I opted for something different than the traditional white gown. The top layer is the color of blue hydrangeas with a matching delicate fabric flower at my waist. In my hair is a simple crystal ornament, catching the light every now and then, sparkling in a way that could give Jareth's crystals a run for their money. On my feet is a set of pale blue high heels.

Looking up to my face, covered in a natural tone of make-up, I tilt my head at seeing the crease between my brows. A frown sits there as if it's right at home. Bugger. 'The happiest day of my life.' At least that's what it's supposed to be. If that's true, than why am I having such a hard time feeling it?

I force myself to smile brightly in an effort to pump myself up for the big moment. In about an hour, I'll be Mrs. Sarah Smith. From one common surname to an even more common one. I groan as my smile falters.

"Why can't I be as happy and excited as everyone else? I'm supposed to be the blushing bride here, so where are those damn butterflies?!" I rant to myself. Sometimes I can't believe myself. I really am difficult. I don't even understand myself half the time. Isn't this what every girl dreams of? I wish my friends were here. They could lift my spirits anytime. 'I wish…'

Being too pre-occupied, I only just notice the big blue eyes staring at me from around the corner of the door. "Oh Toby!" I exclaim, startled, turning to the nine year old. I blush, ashamed that he saw my breakdown from the looks of it.

He steps in the room, closing the door behind him. "I'm sorry about that Toby. It's just the nerves that are getting to me." I say, making up a quick excuse. I purse my lips as his usual smile doesn't return to his face. Instead he looks down at his feet, picking at his nice suit while he's at it. I recognize the nervous twitch of him immediately. He always does that when he has something serious to say. It usually means trouble.

"Okay Toby, spill." I say, putting my hands on my hips, ready for whatever he's about to throw at me. He glances up at me, grimacing. "It's difficult!" he exclaims, a hint of desperation and anger in his voice. I blink at him in surprise. I never heard him use such a tone before. What got him so upset?

I crouch down in front of him, putting my hands on his shoulders after whiping a tiny white feather from one absentmindedly. "What's the matter Toby? You can tell me, you know you can." I encourage him. He releases a shaky breath, like whatever it is that he's about to say will make the world come crashing down.

"It's Daniel." he utters out, his voice breaking. "Hm?" I hum, imagining the face of my future husband in my mind. "What about him?" I ask. I know Toby never did like him much, no matter how hard Daniel tried to be nice to him. I wonder what went wrong between the two of them. Maybe he's just sore about there being another man in my life, taking in time I could have spent with him instead.

Toby takes my hand suddenly, dragging me towards the door. "You need to come see!" he urges hurriedly. "But Toby, I'm not supposed to yet! Karen will have my head if I break any more traditions." I try, but the look he gives me next leaves me no room to argue. I'm starting to grow seriously worried about Toby.

The hallway is empty and a bit dark. The only light streaming in comes from the stained glass by the staircase, coloring the tiled floor in all sorts of shades. It's a beautiful venue, giving off this medieval feeling. I feel right at home as it reminds me of the children's books I've been writing for the last few years. I've become quite good at it and am able to make my living off of it. It left dad and Karen quite proud, but I'm sure Toby is the proudest of them all. He loves my stories.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Toby tugging at my hand one last time. Looking down at him, I see him pointing at a room on the other side. From inside comes an angered voice. I recognize it as Daniels'. I wonder what's going on. He doesn't get angry easily, that one of the reasons that I like him so much.

Stepping quietly up to the door, I clasp the door handle. I'm just going to take a peak. If it's nothing serious, than there's no reason why he should see me yet until we're at the altar.

I open the door a crack and I can hear his voice more clearly. "Give me another shirt. You ruined this one." he says impatiently. "I'm sorry." I hear my cousin sigh experated. She's here as my bridesmaid. I only did ask her because I didn't know whom else to ask. It's not like I'm close to anyone in particular. But what is she doing in here? A bad feeling washes over me for some reason. I scold myself for feeling paranoid. I shouldn't be so jealous. Still, I stand there listening.

"Next time, don't wear such cheap lipstick. It gets on everything." Daniel mutters. I can feel my features grow hard at his words and a lump rise in my throat. "Why do you even bother with all this?" my cousin sneers. "I thought you said you loved me! So why are you still marrying her?!" she questions, upset. My hand grips the doorknob tighter, my knuckles turning white as moisture gathers in the corners of my eyes. 'I wish…!' "You know why!" he counters, making her sigh angrily. "You and your lust for fame! Is fame more important than your love for me?! It's not fair!" my cousin shrieks.

And suddenly, the anger and hurt that was building inside me like a storm faded away. 'It's not fair.' I muse over the words. My eyes fall on Toby who stands before me, looking quite scared. I smile down at him and bent over to kiss his forehead tenderly. "Thank you. You're a good brother Toby." I assure him.

With that, I turn away and walk down the grand staircase, ignoring the surprised faces as I walk past the guests. "What are you doing here? It's not time yet!" Karen shouts, horrified. I turn to her. "I beg to differ. I'm just in time." I tell her, leaving her confused. "Just in time to stop myself from making a horrible mistake." I mutter under my breath.

"Sarah?" my dad calls, reaching me before I step out the grand doors. "Are you alright? Are you ill?" he wonders, worry etching his face. I shake my head, smiling up at him assuredly. "No daddy, I'm feeling great." I say earnestly before reaching up and kissing his cheek. "I'll call you later okay?" I say, barely giving him time to respond before I walk out the door, leaving everyone stupefied.

People look at me strangely as I stride over the sidewalk, but I don't care. I know I should be hurt, angry and probably crying in a corner somewhere. Maybe I am a bit hurt and angry, but at the same time I feel so relieved. 'Wow, I'm really weird.' I conclude. I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me, dead weight in the form of a man. It makes me wonder on how much I actually loved him. Not enough, clearly.

I didn't stop walking until I find myself in my tiny apartment. Yes, tiny, but cozy and one hell of a view. I can look out over the park all day long, watching the shadows move and seasons change. 'I'm glad I didn't officially moved in with Daniel yet.' I think as I glance at the few boxes I managed to pack.

I nearly trip over the mess from the party I had last night as I tear the power plug of my house phone out of the wall. The answering machine's angry red blinking light instantly going out.

All my friends were here yesterday, all of them. Hoggle, Ludo, sir Didymus, and even Ambrosius, that silly dog. Who else could I ever need? They were very happy for me. I wonder what their reaction will be when I tell them what happened.

Opening up the double doors to my balcony overlooking the park, my eyes roam to a familiar part of it. The place where I would run off to just about every day, all dressed up, book in hand. That was a long time ago. I was so young back then and quite silly, a typical pubescent girl. 'I wish…'

Crashing on the large chair before the doors, I heave a large sigh. "Now what?" I wonder. 'I wish the Goblin King…' Now that my initial burst of newfound energy is seeping away and tiredness and emptiness settles in my body, I'm at a loss.

I curse myself for a moment. I've been so stupid, wasting so much time and energy on someone who never actually cared. I suppose it's better to have found out now than later, but still…

Glancing back at the park, I sigh tiredly. I tried so hard to grow up for the last few years. Readying myself for a future that may not even be meant for me. I still tried though, just to make others happy. Maybe I never even loved Daniel in the sense of the word and I used him only as a tool to help me grow up. It starts to seem like that to me now. He didn't make me happy at all, did he?

What is it that makes me happy? My friends do and my memories of the Underground. The challenge and adventure the labyrinth gave me. That is clear to me. I've never been as happy as I was then, despite the precarious situation. After a long time of pushing all that away, I find myself longing to return. '...would come to take…'

And why not?! What do I have to stay here? Stuck in a world that has nothing to offer. Can I not life in a small corner of the Underground until I grow old and die? Among my friends and other magical creatures? 'I wish the Goblin King would come…'

But…no. Jareth would never let me I suppose. I can only imagine how much I must've angered him after throwing his offer back in his face. 'Jareth.' I muse on the name, picturing him in my head quite clearly. I like to remember him smiling better than the scornful look he quite often gave me. He's quite handsome when he smiles and doesn't seem as dangerous as he actually is.

After growing older and perhaps a bit wiser, I've come to appreciate him better I suppose. I used to blame him for taking Toby away and saw my time in the labyrinth as something horrible. I used to believe he did everything to make it harder on me just to spite me.

But he was telling the truth when he said he just did everything, just because it was what I asked of him. I realized that much too late and I feel guilty about my behavior ever since. I was just way too stubborn back then. I still can be, but I've tried to keep an open mind and be less judgmental of others like I was with him ever since that realization. Without ever knowing it, he actually though me a lot.

Now that I think about it…I guess it's not only my friends and the world of the Underground I miss. Somewhere along the road, I started to miss him too. Only a little bit though! I hope he will never find out about that revelation. I can take a guess at his reaction. I shudder at the thought and instinctively grab the plait that lies over the armrest and pull it over myself. It warms me pleasantly.

The combination off the tiredness from the stress of the day, the sunshine and birds chirping slowly lulls me in sleep. Just before I lose myself to dreams of what could have been, a thought crosses my mind randomly. 'Is wish the Goblin King would come to take _me_ away!'

I shudder as a breeze washes over me and try to pull the plait closer around myself, but it seemed to have dropped to the ground. Opening my eyes, I grumble as I rise to my feet. I close the balcony doors quickly. Night has already fallen and it seems like a clear crisp night. The full moon shines brightly and unobstructed by clouds, lighting the room enough for me to make my way around.

Rubbing my temple as I can feel a slight headache coming on, I turn on my heels, ready to get out of this dress and into something comfortable, but instead, I give a loud shriek. "Dear me." A pleasant, but authoritive voice exclaims. "What will your neighbors think?"

The figure stands up from its lounging position on the couch, standing tall before stepping forward enough to let the moonlight hit their features. He still looks the same, I note. His mismatched eyes, the silver eyeshade, I suppose it is, and the leather clothes. I gape like a fish on dry land; unable to find the words I'm looking for.

Reaching out, he puts his finger under my chin, closing my mouth for me. The scent of leather tickles my nose. "That's better." he smirks before circling me slowly, looking me up and down closely. I instantly feel like a gazelle, stalked by a lion. A blushing gazelle.

"My, my. How pretty you look Sarah dear. I'm quite jealous of the man you dressed up for. He must be really something to be worth of your attentions." he muses, coming to a stop before me before looking around curiously. "Though, where is your spouse Sarah? I thought your wedding was today. Shouldn't you be… celebrating?" he wonders, sounding genuinely confused.

I quickly brush away the thought about how he knows about my wedding plans. The idea of him watching me just seems too creepy. He doesn't seem to know the whole story though.

He must have seen something in my eyes, because before I can say anything, he gives me a knowing look. "Ah. A runaway bride are you?" A look of amusement crosses his sharp features.

"Why are you here?" I quickly ask, finding my tongue to be back in working order. He tilts his head innocently. "Why? Because you called me, that's why." I shake my head in confusion. "No, I didn't." I deny, not remembering doing any of the sort. "Oh but you did my dear. Your thoughts are louder than you might think. You've been at it all day." he explains, stretching the word 'all'. "I wasn't planning on answering you, but after some point, I just got sick of it to be frank. You're quite persistent." he adds. I wreck my brain to think back on my thoughts and actions. Maybe I asked in my subconscious?

"So?" he asks after a moment of silence. "So…what?" I ask in return, feeling uncomfortable under his stare. "What is it you want from me this time?" he questions, crossing his arms, looking a bit annoyed.

"What I want?" I breathe out, unable to help my thoughts returning to my previous debate on happiness. Should I give it a go? Can I ask something like that of him? I glance at Jareth, who stands there, looking quite ethereal in the moonlight. Then again, he's not from this world.

After an inward battle with myself, I shake my head slowly, disappointment washing over me. 'I can't. I don't deserve his help.'

"There is nothing I should ask of you." I speak up, making him look back at me surprised as his eyes were roaming around the room lazily. "What? Nothing?" I shake my head in confirmation. "Believe it or not, I've come to realize some things as years passed. And one of those things I realize is that I was unfair towards you. I'm sorry about that and therefor, I cannot ask you to do anything for me." I tell him honestly before sinking into the chair, dread washing over me. There is no way for me to return to the Underground now.

He tilts his head slightly, narrowing his eyes as if looking for a trick on my part. I don't blame him. "I see." he finally muses. "You really have grown up quite a bit have you? And here I was under the assumption you might just accept my offer after all this time." he jabs at me, though sounding as if teasing me. Yeah, he's still sore about that.

I blink, a light smile crossing my lips. "Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave?" I say, quoting the words etched into my memory. "Indeed." he drawls out, his face hard. "In my defense, you don't ask such a thing of a hormonal fifteen year old, Jareth." I laugh.

"Quite." he agrees, before looking at me meaningfully. "It is more suited to ask a lady then?" he asks, making me hush my laughing. "I-I suppose…" I stammer, blushing once again as he nears me, crouching down before me.

"I'm not usually one for second chances and regarding the trouble you've caused me…" he muses as he looks deep into my eyes, searching. "However, curse my heart and that soft spot you so aggressively created in it." he continues, making my eyes widen in surprise and hope. "If you will not ask it off me, than I suppose I can only make you an offer. If you wish to accept it, is on you. However, this is your last chance my dear. So think carefully before you open your mouth." he warns.

"I…" I start, before looking at him, wanting to know if I can speak my mind still. "Yes?" he urges, patiently. "I don't think I know anything about love." I tell him honestly, making him laugh. It seems to lighten the room somehow.

"Dear Sarah, really." he tuts. "Don't worry your pretty head about it just yet." he assures me, smiling still. "There will be plenty of time ahead if you decide to agree to my offer. So here it is; and mind you, I've had time to rethink my words. I was really quite desperate for you not to utter those horrid words before. Anyway, Sarah…" he starts, seeming to hold his breath for a moment.

I follow the movement as he hold out his hand for me, knowing if I take it, his offer is accepted. "Be mine." he says. It's so simple, those two little words. He's usually one to use more words, and accordingly, I wait for more to come. When he starts to look a bit impatient however, I realize that's all I'll get from him. That's his offer. Be his. To interpret however he sees fit…. And I'm okay with that.

Quickly I latch on to his hand for dear life. "Splendid." he purrs.


End file.
